“The recommendations presented by the Task Force reflect a significant amount of expertise that we enlisted to address the growing concern of affordability in our community.  The guidance, analysis, policy recommendations and proposed use of resources presented by the Task Force will be very helpful in our decision-making to ensure the county-wide preservation of affordable housing options”

-Supervisor John Foust, Chairman
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Housing Committee

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Goal 1: Preserve the affordability of approximately 9,000 market affordable multifamily units at 60% AMI and below through a combination of preserving physical assets that contain affordable housing (physical preservation) and of preserving the affordability and number of bedrooms within redevelopment scenarios on-site or in proximity to the site (use preservation).
   
• Goal 2: Preserve the affordability of committed affordable multifamily buildings and units when affordability covenants are set to expire for buildings/units with an average of 60% AMI and below, as well as ADU/WDU units at 80% AMI and below.
   
• Goal 3: Preserve through a combination of means the affordability of the approximately 1,750 housing opportunities that exist in manufactured housing communities.

Specific and actionable recommendations provided by the Task Force fell within six strategic Categories:

1. Preservation Need, Goals, and Resources: The Task Force considered the challenges facing the existing stock of affordable housing, particularly market affordable housing, and developed recommendations for goals and strategies to ensure no net loss, long-term affordability and availability of these assets.
    
2. Development Strategies and Financing Tools: The Task Force developed recommendations for specific financial practices and resources that can be employed or provided to encourage the preservation or replacement of existing market affordable and committed affordable housing.4
    
3. Land Use Policies and Recommendations: The Task Force identified specific land use recommendations that would facilitate the preservation of market affordable housing, including, importantly, the development of a definition of preservation.
    
4. Institutional Capacity, Community Awareness and Legislative Priorities: The Task Force identified community engagement and the capacity of the county’s institutions to support a sustained effort to preserve affordable housing in the community as critical issues.
    
5. Other Considerations: The Task Force recommended other preservation-related considerations for further study.
    
6. Recommendations Regarding Manufactured Housing Communities: The Task Force recognized that manufactured housing communities, and owners of manufactured homes in those communities have unique challenges and opportunities. Manufactured housing communities require special considerations given their uniqueness including the fact that they often serve as a source of affordable homeownership for residents in the County. The Task Force recommended that these items would be further refined as part of a separate Task Force to be convened upon completion of this Affordable Housing Preservation Task Force.
    

VIEW THE COMPLETE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATION REPORT